Question
We tilled our garden and planted peas and lettuce about three weeks ago. Nothing has come up yet. We were talking to our neighbor yesterday, and he told us that about 30-40 years ago, in a fit of vexation, the former owner spread an industrial strength soil sterilizing chemical on the area in which we planted our garden. He further explained that weeds have only started to grow in that area in the past 5-10 years. This information has caused my wife to give up on trying to cultivate this area. Should we give up? What can we do to amend the soil in this area?
Answer(s)
Soil sterilizing chemicals can last in the soil for many years. They tend to move with water, so the low areas where water drains is where you will find higher concentrations of the soil sterilizing chemical. I would suggest doing above the grown grow-boxes.
Other Questions In This Topic
- I planted four Patmore Green Ash trees in my yard and they all have circular hole bite marks on all the leaves. I cannot see any insects on them. Do you have any idea what might be eating the leaves and how I can get rid of them?
- Why do we rake leaves? What would happen to my lawn and flower garden if I just left them on the ground and let the grass and perennials grow up through them? We currently mulch them with a mower and let most of them stay. Are we raising the elevation of our lawn? Are we doing good or bad to it?
- Are there master gardeners in the Millcreek Township area?
- Last fall we removed all of our oregon grape that has been growing for over 20 years to re-landscape a flower bed in our front yard. We put mulch on the bare ground to sit over the winter in hopes to start planting this spring. Now we have several mushroom 'colonies', is what I call it, breaking through the soil, but they are only coming through on half of the 5' x 12' area. I have pulled out the 'first round' of mushrooms, and now twice as mony are coming back, in the same area. How can I get rid of these mushrooms so that we can plant our new daylillies and spirea? I might also add that this area has not received alot of water, although it is next to our driveway where we shovel the snow.
- I have just moved into this new house and I have all these raspberry bushes. They have produced a crop of fruit and I went out and picked lots of berries. The berries themselves look very nice but they are a little small. When I brought them in the house I noticed a couple different kind of pests on them. A black little beetle looking bug and a little tiny bug that resembled the hair on the raspberry. I washed them off, cleaned them and ate them. Now I am all panicked that I will get sick. They tasted good but I have myself all freaked out not knowing if all the bugs got off. Will they hurt me? I want to make raspberry jam with all the berries I have. Is that safe?
- I have a new laurel plant whose leaves have turned half brown. Is this caused by heat?
- We have Ray wood ash trees around our home and last year they were topped by hormworms. What do you suggest?
- I have a red photina thats leaves, in part of the bush, seemed like they were burnt. Is it a disease that these bushes can get? If I cut it back all the way, will all of the bush come out of it or should I get rid of the bush? The photina next to it is just fine.